Key Votes

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Vote Smart provides easy access to congressional and state voting records and maintains a collection of key votes grouped by issue. Vote Smart uses the following criteria to select key votes:

  1. The vote should be helpful in portraying how a member stands on a particular issue
  2. The vote should be clear for any person to understand
  3. The vote has received media attention
  4. The vote was passed or defeated by a very close margin
  5. Occasionally, if a specific bill is consistently inquired about on the Voter's Research Hotline, the vote will be added

Vote Smart provides a summary of the version of the bill text associated with each selected key vote. Our summaries are written by Vote Smart's staff and interns, who adhere to our strict policies and procedures in order to guarantee absolute impartiality and accuracy. They do not necessarily reflect the content of the final version of the bill, but rather the version voted on in that stage. While many procedural votes take place before a full chamber vote, our voting stages reflect the final reading of each chamber vote. Each key vote selection is reviewed by the project's community of advisors, who are political scientists and journalists from all fifty states.

For more information about the legislative process, see here.


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Date State Bill No. Title Outcome
Dec. 7, 2006 National PN 1396 Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11)
Sept. 29, 2006 National HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
Sept. 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4936 National Security Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1414 Health Care Requirements for Large Companies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
Aug. 31, 2006 CA SB 1379 Biomonitoring Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
Aug. 30, 2006 CA AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
Aug. 29, 2006 CA AB 1953 Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Aug. 29, 2006 CA AB 1953 Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
Aug. 16, 2006 CA AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
Aug. 16, 2006 CA SCA 3 Redistricting Commission Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
Aug. 2, 2006 National S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
July 19, 2006 NC HB 2699 Early Childhood Vision Care Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
July 19, 2006 NC HB 2699 Early Childhood Vision Care Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
July 18, 2006 NC HB 2873 Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
July 18, 2006 NC HB 2873 Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
July 14, 2006 IA HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
July 13, 2006 MA H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
July 13, 2006 National S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
July 10, 2006 CO HB 1017 Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
July 10, 2006 CO HB 1023 Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
July 8, 2006 CO HB 1020 Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
July 8, 2006 NJ A 4705 Tobacco Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
June 28, 2006 PA HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
June 27, 2006 CA SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)
Date No. Title Outcome
12/07 PN 1396 Andrew von Eschenbach, Commissioner of Food and Drugs Nomination Confirmed - Senate (80 - 11)
9/29 HR 6061 Secure Fence Act of 2006 Bill Passed - Senate (80 - 19)
9/13 S Amdt 4936 National Security Amendment Motion Rejected - Senate (41 - 57)
8/31 SB 1414 Health Care Requirements for Large Companies Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (23 - 17)
8/31 SB 1578 Dog Restraint Regulations Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (21 - 16)
8/31 SB 1379 Biomonitoring Program Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (24 - 14)
8/30 AB 2076 Needle Exchange Program Bill Passed - Senate (23 - 15)
8/29 AB 1953 Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
8/29 AB 1953 Amount of Lead in Plumbing Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 18)
8/16 AB 1873 Safe Child Surrender Time Limit Expansion Bill Passed - Senate (28 - 9)
8/16 SCA 3 Redistricting Commission Resolution Passed - Senate (27 - 11)
8/02 S Amdt 4775 Triple-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Adopted - Senate (94 - 3)
7/19 HB 2699 Early Childhood Vision Care Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
7/19 HB 2699 Early Childhood Vision Care Program Bill Passed - Senate (36 - 11)
7/18 HB 2873 Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
7/18 HB 2873 Drinking Water From Private Wells Regulations Bill Passed - Senate (29 - 19)
7/14 HF 2351 Eminent Domain Veto Override Passed - Senate (41 - 8)
7/13 H 4176 Sale of Hypodermic Needles and Syringes Veto Override Passed - Senate (25 - 11)
7/13 S Amdt 4659 Double-Layered Fencing Amendment Amendment Rejected - Senate (29 - 71)
7/10 HB 1017 Employer Verification of Employee Work Status Requirements Bill Passed - Senate (27 - 8)
7/10 HB 1023 Public Benefits for Undocumented Immigrants Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
7/08 HB 1020 Business Deductions for Employees Restrictions Bill Passed - Senate (22 - 13)
7/08 A 4705 Tobacco Tax Bill Passed - Senate (21 - 19)
6/28 HB 804 Handheld Cell Phone Ban While Driving Bill Passed - Senate (42 - 7)
6/27 SB 1137 Sentences for Non-Violent Drug Offenders Concurrence Vote Passed - Senate (27 - 2)

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